Semiconductor devices such as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) or insulated gate field effect transistors IGFETs) are widely used in switching loads, for example motors such as brushless DC motors, induction motors, servo motors, stepper motors, brushed DC motors or switched reluctance motors. When switching loads such as motors a trade-off between voltage gradient and switching losses hinders an independent optimization of each of these characteristics. Thus, it is desirable to provide a semiconductor device having an improved trade-off between voltage gradient and switching losses.